Crossed destinies
by Hopefullydepressed
Summary: Maya and Lucas meet briefly as kids. They promise each other that they will be together forever , but soon they are pulled apart. They thought that they will never see each other again.
1. Chapter 1

"Maya, baby girl, come here to your nan." The little , six years old girl run to her grandmother and hugged her legs tightly.

"Yes,nanny?" She looked up with a pair of innocent blue eyes, full of tears. "I've been a good girl, exactly how I promised, that I'll be." The small child said barely containing the sobs.

"Oh no, you've been good Maya-papaya. There are other problems. I am too old, little nugget." She caressed the girl's hair, the old woman too, barely containing her tears. "After my son, abandoned us and got himself killed, your mom was good enough to take care of me. Now that she is gone too, I will go to nursing home." Maya broke the hug and looked at her grandmother with a fierce look.

"I don't wanna go to nursing home, nana, I love our house." The first tear slide on the woman's cheek and she wiped it fast with the back of her hand. She had to be strong for her nephew.

"You are not going to a nursing home,Maya. I am going." The child looked at the old women with a puzzled expression. "Nan...who is going to take care of me? I am scared to sleep alone." Gammy Hart sighed and started to play with her nephew's hair.

"Honey-nugget, you are going to an orphanage." Maya started to cry softly, not really knowing what an orphange was, but being certain that she'll never see her grandmother again. First she lost her daddy and soon after her mom died in an accident and now she was taken away from her grandmother.

"I don't want to go to an orcanage." She was compulsively wiping her tears in her grandma's shirt.

"Listen to me. Tomorow they'll come after you. You will go to a huge house with loads of children like you. If you behave good, the way I know you will, then everything will be fine. Maybe someone will adopt you." The little girl watched out the window lost in her thoughts for a while. "What does adopt, mean?" She asked after a long silence. "It's when someone loves you so much that she or\and him wants to be your parent" Maya swalowed her tears and watched her Gammy with confusion. "Then why don't you adopt me? You said you love me?" Gammy let out a silent sob and shot her eyes tight to keep all the tears from coming out. " I really wanted to, but I am to old and they won't let me keep you."

"Who?" Asked ,Maya, being to young to understand the implications of child protection service.

"Go to sleep, Maya, tomorow will be a long day." Maya crossed her arms stubbornly and kept her gaze locked with the older woman's. Gammy's eyes were tired. Tired of life, tired of going through so much and mostly tired of being strong for Maya's sake.

"Baby girl just go." Her voice was firm and severe enough to make Maya run to her room with tear in her eyes.

The next day two men come to their apartmen to take Maya. She was instantly scared of them. They were tall and with equal severe looks on their faces. Their eyes lacked any warmt. All Maya wanted to do was to escape from them. So when they knelt next to her and forced a smile on their faces, Maya ran. Ran into her room and the last thing she heard was her grandmother telling the to let her go after her. There was a small argument that left Maya enough time to escape through her window. She fall and hit her knees, but the adrenaline pumping in her veins gave her the power to run.

Gammy and the two men enetere Maya's room and started to search for her in the closet, under the bed and only a few minutes later, they noticed the opened window. "Damn." One of the men yelled and broke the silence of the day.

Maya ran until she felt her lungs burning, ran until she felt her knees numbing , ran until her eyes were stinging , ran until her heart started to beat like a drum. She had to stop, the exhaustation made her weak so she sat on the ground an looked at sky praying not to be found by those men. Looking up she saw a window with some nice curtains with spiderman. She watched the a while and listened to the cheerfull laughs that came from inside of that room. There were some weird ladders that made an easily acces to that window. The little girl climbed through the window withou thinking about what was she doing. She fall on the floor next to the window on the back of a boy near her age.

"Uf. Ouch." Whimpered the boy and trew her of his back. "Who are you and what are doing in my room." Asked an annoyed blond haired and green eyed boy.

"Hi, I am Maya and I am going to be your new sister." He growled annoyed by the events and pushed her a little toward the window.

"I don't want a sister so you can go back to where you came ..." Maya covered his mouth and begged him to stay quiet.

"Please, please listen to me before you scream." He watched her confused but finally compromised and nodded to let her know that he'll be quiet.

"Say what you have to say before I scream." He said stubbornly.

"First tell me your name." Demanded Maya proud by the steadines from her voice.

"Lucas. Lucas Friar."

"Lucas, I ran away from some bad people that wanted to take me. Please will you let me hide in your room for a while. Just until nan figures it out, hoe to help me." Lucas watched the blonde girl, open mouthed. It was the kind of story he only heard in movies.

"I'll call mamma, She'll know what to do. My mom is smart and strong." Said the innocent boy. "Where is your mom and why won't she help you." Maya's eyes filled with bitter tears that stared to folw down her cheeks like waterfalls.

"She went to heaven. If she would have been here nothing would happen. Please don't call your mom just let me hide."

"I'll help you hide forever,sister." Said Lucas and gave her a friendly punch on her arm.

"You said you don't want a sister." Said Maya and flashed a real smile for the first time since her mom died.

"I wanted a brother, I hate girls, but you seem okay." Maya jumped on his arms and squeezed him tightly. She ignored all his disgusted protests.

"Let go of me woman." He screamed loudly. Maya got scared of being found by his mom so she hid under his bed just a few seconds before his mom came in.

"Who were you screamin at my lil' Sundance?" Asked a concerned Lilian.  
"I was playing, mom." He said flashing the most innocent smile he got.

"Let's close your window, before you get cold."

"She left, you can come out." Maya slide out of his bed and sit on the edge of it. "Can you bring me some food, I am really hungry." Lucas face contorted in a worried frown.

"Mom doesn't let me eat in my room." He blurted out.

"Well, try to sneak something in. You can't leave your sister to die of hunger." Said Maya crossing her arms and keeping a firm eye-contact.

"You are bossy and I don't like it."

"And you "Sundance"" she said mockingly "You ar to coward!" He got up and went next to her, towering over her little body. Lucas was almost a head taller than her. She got scared by his threatening posture. "I-I a-am s-s-sorry." She curled in fetal position and started to shake violently.

"Maya are you okay?" asked Lucas as he held her arm.

"I am sorry, I didn't meant to be bad. I am sorry. Sorry daddy." Lucas got really startled by her soft cries and the way she shaked. He sat next to her and started to caress her blonde hair and to whisper softly in her ears. "It will be fine, sister, your big brother will protect you always and forever . You are fine." She looked under her messy hair at his face and once again jumped in his arms. This time Lucas swallowed his disgus and hugged her back. "I'll bring you cookies, I know where is hiding mommy them.

Three days passed before Lilian started to suspect something. There was something weird in her son's behavior. And she caught him sneaking food in his room, soon after he ate. One night after she tuck him in, she waited some minutes in front of his door. Five minutes passed before she started to hear voices in his son's room. Voices, not just a voice. She silently opened the door only to find a little girl sitting in his bed.

"What the...?" She looked confused at the imagine in front of her eyes. "Lucas, who's that girl."

"Mom, this is my sister,Maya." he said casually as if was the most normal thing.

"Lucas you don't have a sister. We both know it." Lucas made an obvious fake shocked face.

"Whaaat? I don't have a sister?" He turned to Maya. "You lied to me?"

"Chill down ,Sundance. We're caught." Said Maya with her voice shaking. "I am sorry, Miss." continued the young girl almost crying.

"You two, up." Said mrs. Friar. "I want answers young gentleman." Lucas looked down on his lap and started to shake from retained sobs. "I am sorry,Maya . I failed you."

"What's up Lucas?" Maya came in front of Lucas and flashed a sad smile to his mother. She started to explain her situation . Lilian hardly got from the girl's confusing talk, that she remained orphan and got scared of the guys sent by child protection service and ran away.

"Mom can we keep her?" Asked Lucas his eyes filling with tears. "I promised that I'll protect her."

"She is not a puppy, Lucas , we can't just take her."

Lucas pulled Maya next to hime by her arm and started his speech. "Mom , you taught me to always keep my promises. How can I protect my sis, if you seperate us? I promised mommy." He flashed his best puppy eyes and Maya followed his lead. "Please, please." Started the children in sing song voices.

"Go to sleep. I'll see tomorow what I can do."

Lilian always wanted a daughter, but after her ugly divorce from Lucas's father she saw impossible to start dating and more impossible to start a new family. This little girl could be her chance to save herself from the guilt. When she was sixteen she got pregnant and her parents made her abort. She never got over it. She would have had a daughter, she felt that.

Dissapoimtment hit Friar family hard when they didn't let Lilian adopt Maya, because she hadn't got all the requirments to adopt. Because she was a single mother. She tried talk them it, she showed her balances and paper that attested her good income. Everuthing in vain. The got to the agreement that she can keep the girl until they found a good family for her. She could even help pick one. Weeks passed and the two children grew hopeful that they could stay together forever.

One day Lilian got a call that shattered all her hopes. The worst part she had to give the news and shatter two innocent kid's hopes.

"Lucas, my little Sundance, can you and Maya come here a little?" Called a devasted Lilian the kids.

"Lucas ..." Her eyes shifted to Maya's little face, whom had a blank expression. She knew. "Maya..." Lilian swallowed the tears. " We found you a new family." Lilian knelt next to the girl and caressed her cheek to comfort her a little. " They are great, honey, I promise that you will love them." Lilian lifted her up and rocked her body for some seconds. "They have a little girl just your age, you will have a sister." The woman kissed the child's face, trying to assure her that everything will be fine. "Your new mom is pregnant, you will have a baby brother too."

"I have a brother and ... I had a mom." She started to breath heavily. "You are like a mother to me. Why can't I stay?" She asked the question the second time in a short time. First her grandmom and now Lilian and Lucas.

"Mom, we can still see Maya, right. We'll be friends."

"You are my brother not friend." Screamed the little girl between some hysterical sobs.

"Lucas... She'll live in New York."

"How far can New York be?'' Asked Lucas with his voice shaking. "We will visit her."

"New York is very far , Sundance." Said Lilian, crying as hard as the kids did.

"I'll never see Maya again?"

"Never is a strong word, son."

The family that came to pick Maya was a happy one. Topanga, the mother was pregnant and because some complication she found out that she could not bear any other pregnancy. They decided to adopt. They found the perfect girl in a vacantion they took in Texas. There was a scandal linked to the girl's name. Her father was a notorious drug dealer. He divorced from her mother and soon after that was killed. Her mom died only a couple of months after that. When the children protection service came to pick her up, from her very old grandmother the child ran away. She hid in a little boys room, till the mom found went through a lot and did really deserve a fresh start somewhere far away.

The little girl was a fierce amazon and gave her new family, the Matthews family a lot of trouble, but they wouldn't change a day since they got her. They loved her as much as they loved their own children.

A loud Squeaky sound woke Penelope Mathews up. Her step sister, Riley ran into her room and jumped into her bed, straight onto her and started to shake her body.

"Penny, Penny, wake up." The blonde groaned loudly and pulled a pilow on her face and tried to ignore her overly happy sister.

"Penny..."

"Don't call me Penny, Riles, you know how much I hate it." Mumbled from under the pillow Penelope.

"Sorry, Pen." Apologised unsincerly the other one. "You know what day is today?"

The blonde threw the pillow and glared at her sister coldly. "I don't know, but I am certain that you will tell me."

"Is monday!" Squealed Riley with joy.

"I hate mondays, those are the worst days." Groaned Penelope and pulled the pillow on her head again.

"Well, this monday is a different monday, since is our first day in high-school." Penelope threw again the pillow and with a loud groan she sat up.

"Only you could be this happy about school."

"This is high-school, Pen!" Exclamed Riley and started to jump up and down on her bed. "We leave our middle-school child selves behind and we welcome our high-school mature women personas."

"Riles, you are jumping on the bed."

"So what ?"

"That's childish. Leave that in middle-school." Laughed Penelope at her sister quirkiness. Riley stopped and looked serious in Pen's eyes. In her eyes gleamed all the confuse thought that were running through her mind.

"What's,Riles." Asked her sister, confused by the sudden change in her mood.

"What if I am not ready to be a high-school lady?" Penelope pulled her in a hug and caressed her hair to calm her down. The way Riley used to do with her, when she used to have some requiring nightmares in the first month when she started to live with them. They shared a bed for a long time and every time that the blonde girl woke up crying her step sister would pull her in a tight hug and started to caress her golden locks.

The blonde looked at her sister who was tall almost a head taller than her. She had a pair of big brown gentle eyes, clear skin. Her long brunette hair that fell next to her face in cascading waves gave are an innocent look. She was innocent and naive and kind and everything good, untouched by this world's badness.

"You are more than ready, Honey , I promise. Look you even convinced me to get up." The blonde unwillingly jumped off the bed an dragged herself in front of her closet. She threw a glance at Riley's putfit, which perfectly described her personality. A long floral dress with pastel color and a pair of high-heeled sandals. Penelope choose and outfit that would reflect her personality aswell. Her favorite "Guns-n-roses" T-shirt, a pair of black ripped jeans and her favorite combat boots.

"Why don't you wear something more colorful? Red or yellow would look great on you." The short turned around to face her taller best-friend/sister.

"Listen,lolipop, you have no words on the way I dress." Riley lifted her arms to show surrender and jumped edge of window to get out. Since six grade they made a habit to use more the window than the door. They parents hated it , but could do nothing to stop them.

"Sister, this place is huge." Said Riley as she started to look around their new school. "So much bigger than our middle-school." Penelope looked around with faux nonchalance. She wasn't looking in front of her. Suddenly she felt her body hitting something in front of her, she felt a pair of strong hands on her arms, trying to keep her balanced.

"Uff, I am sorry." said the blond as she looked up in a pair of wonderful grass-green eyes. "I wasn't lookin were I was walking."

"Maya..." The girl was shocked to hear her middle name, that she haen't used in ten years.

"Pardon?" She asked ignoring the growing panic inside of her. _Could he be? No is not possible._

"Umm... That beautifull face of you comes with a name." Asked the boy lamely.

"First day of school adn you are already trying to get a girlfriend." Laughed the blonde girl nervously.

"Please, can you give me your name?" Penelope tried to come up with a snarky comment, but Riley stepped in front of her pure hapiness plastered on her face.

"Her name is Penelope Matthews and..." She averted her gaze shyly and felt her face burning up. "And you are?" She said without making an eye-contact with the boy.

"I am sorry. I confused your friend with someone else. I get to go." He left as fast he could,leaving behind the two teenafe girls confused.

"Well, that was weird." Said Riley with her eyes still glued to the spot she last saw him.

"Yeah." Said Pen still weirded out by the odd interaction.

"But, Peaches, you have to admit that he was dreamy." Riley sighed and bat her eyelashes to annoy her sister.

"More like creepy, than dreamy."

Their first class was history, and fortunately they had an almost identic schedule. The weird part about the history class was that their father taught it. They knew that this will be possibility, but still hoped to get another teacher. It didn't happen, so both girls were sentenced to have their dad as teacher for the next four years of high-school.

Their dad, aka history teacher put every student, when they heard their name, to say five sentences about themselves. It was funny since everybody was overly anxious. Penelope could barely understand a word they said, since almost every classmate stuttered. She had to cover her mouth to stop herself from laughing.

"Lucas. Lucas Friar. I am from Texas..." _Lucas. Lucas. Lucas Friar . Lucas from Texas. Texas.. Austin..._ The name rang in the blonde's head with echoes. She felt her body turning stone cold and her mind going numb.

"Penelope Matthews?" Cory, her stepfather stopped in front of her desk and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Penny, areyou fine? You are very pale." She let her gaze to lokk with her father, showing him how shaken she was, with just one look.

"Can I be excused to the bathroom." Cory knew the reason of her behavior, from the moment Lucas opened his mouth. The name was very familiar to him. But when he saw her stepdaughters pale face, every piece fell right in place.

"Take your time." As soon as she heard the words Penelope got up and walked slowly out of class to keep her dignity. He seemed familia earlier in the hallway, but as soon as she heard his name, she was sure that Lucas was the Lucas she met as a kid. The Lucas that promised to protect her all their lives. She was certain that he recognized her, from the second he laid his eyes on her. _I am sorry Sundance that I didn't recognize you._ She apologised in her mind to him, hoping that she will get to apologise in person.

After fifteen minutes, she felt strong enough to return to the class. When she made her way to her desk, the bell started to ring.

"Lucas." Said the girl softly. "Can we talk."

"Pen, what's going on?" Asked Riley concerned about her friend.

"Just go Riley, I'll explain later." Lucas got up, gathered his stuff and lead the way to the place between was a quite place , were the students barely walked through.

"You're Maya. The girl who climbed through my window, ten years ago."


	2. Chapter 2

"Yes, I am." Three words. Three words was all Penelope could mutter. Her eyes were frozen on his face, her mind was flooded by memories, by long burried barely thought about her life before living with the Matthews. Mostly because, most of the memories were sad. Only one thing was forever burned on her mind. Lucas Friar, a little boy that taught her how to hope. He hoped until the day she left with the Matthews that their history was not over. Somehow he was right,

"Maya, you don't know how happy am to see you." She was happy too, happy and confused and shaken and invaded with other memories that snuck in her brain.

 _"Daddy, your home again! Had you brought me something." Kermit briefly looked at her daughter small hopeful face and started to go to his room._

 _"Daddy?" Kermit turned to her anger flashing in his eyes and pulled her closer roughly._

 _"Mayasha, your dad had a bad day." He shook her little body brutally. "Don't you dare to bother your father, when he has a bad day. Not ever again."When he let go of her tiny body, Maya fall to the ground helpless. She sat there in silence in shook, to afraid to cry. Her daddy never hurt her before._

"Don't call me Maya, I am not Maya anymore. I am Penelope Matthews." Said the blond harshly, her voice coming out as a croak.

"I am sorry, Ma..Penelope." He watched her empty gaze in confusion. "Are you fine?" Penelope shook her head and faked a smile.

"Yes, I am fine." She looked at him, taking in all the changes that occured and all the things that are still the same. Her smile, soon, turned into a real one.

"Lucas..." The bell ring interrupted them. Penelope pulled out a paper and scribbled down an address. "Here." She gave it to her childhood friend and turned around to go to her next class. "Meet me there after school, Sundance." Teased the young girl with his old nickname.

Penelope hated the weakness ,that danced in her body, as she entered Topanga's cafe. She went to a waitress to place her order before going to meet Lucas.

"As always, Eliza." Said the blonde leaning on the counter. She felt someone stopping behind her and recognize his musky scent. The scent that snuck on her clothes from the moment she hit his chest in school hallaway.

"A black coffee." Said Lucas casually from behind her. "Hi,ummm... Is okay if I call you Pen?"

"Very okay, my sister calls me Pen too. But don't you ever call me Pennny, cause I am certainly not a Penny." Lucas laughed and pushed Penelope by her arm, playfully. "Good to know, because my other option was Penny." Penelope pushed him back, a little stronger, but still couldn't move him an inch.

"Call me, Penny and I'll make you regret."

"You are five foot tall, how are you planning making me regret anything?" Laughed Lucas at her angry expression. She hated to be called short, because being short made her feel helpless and she promised herself not to be helpless ever.

"I might be short, but I am very resourceful." Lucas pet her on the head and laughed.

"I am already scared." Penelope felt a strong need to demonstrate that she grew from that scared little girl that one day climbed through his window. Fast as snake she clutched his arme and brought it to his back. Lucas yelped in pain and looked at the tiny blonde with admiration.

"Never, ever again underestimate me Friar!" She let go of his hand and flashed him with one of her famous death glares. Someone cleared her throat behind her. Eliza looked at Lucas with anger . "Did he bother you anyway?" Asked the waitress with her eyes still on Lucas, who started to become scarlet from embarasment.

"Not at all,Eliza, he's a friend." Smiled the blonde naturally as nothing happened. Lucas saw the girl in a new light. For years he thought that one day he'll found her and could fufill the promise he once made to her. She didn't look like someone who needs protection. She is not a helpless maiden who needs his knight in shinning armour. When he saw how helpless she looked at school, he thought that she was still traumatized by the past, he couldn't be more wrong.

"Let's go sit, Sundane." She grabbed her coffee and went to table in a corner. "Are you coming." Yelled the girl when she saw that Lucas hadn't moved at hurried and sat on the chair in front of her.

"I don't even know what to say or what to ask." Said Lucas looking at her still in disbelief.

"No need to question me, I'll fill you up." Said Penelope putting her hand over his to calm him down.

"Umm.. The Matthews came that day and I protested at first. I screamed and yelled. I was afraid of leaving you, I don't know why , I just was. You know you made me feel safe for the first time in my short life." Penelope took a deep breath to control the shake in her voice. Lucas squeezed a little her hand. She pulled her hand back like she was burnt.

"Well. After I got tired of my hystericals, Topanga, my mom came and kneeled in front of me. She started to make me promises, to make everything seem like an adventures. I was still angry, because they were taking me from you, but then it happened. The mom called her daughter, a little brunette girl with the happiest smile I ever saw. Hope shined in her eyes. I wanted to be that girl, I wanted to protect that girl. My sister she is...she is the same hopeful innocent girl, unainted by the evil of this world. I am grateful for her,Lucas, you will really love her , as much as I love her."

"I will? So we're friends? I was afraid that you'll push me away."

"Why? You are very important in my life. I love having you back." Lucas blinked a few times, before his lips curved in a beautiful, pure smile.

"Well you didn't jump in my arms and you went all karate kid on me." Joked Lucas to break the serious atmosphere. "You are very important to me too. Meeting you made me understand who I am and who I want to be. I know I was just a kid, but I our encounter made me want help and fight for others, The weaker. " Penelope glared at him, in a way that made Lucas understand that she hates to be treated grew up and became a great person.

"Not just you. I see that you are far from being weak." Her expression softened. Penelope averted her gaze and kept it on her lap. She was thinking and Lucas couldn't tell were she drifted so fast.

"Give me your cellphone." Said the blonde suddenly and she extended her hand with her palm up , for Lucas to put his phone on it. "Come on cowboy, we're friends and you need my phone number."

They exchanged numbers and Penelope made it clear that she wants to go home.

"Well, Lucas, it was nice to see you again. See yea around!"

The girl as usually climbed home through her sister's window.

"Honey, I'm home." yelled the blonde as she peaked her head in.

"Penny." Said the brunette angry at her sister. "You worried me to death." continued dramatically.

"What's your problem, Riles?"

"You acted weird in history class. Stayed to speak with Mr. Gorgeous, promised me an explanation and then after school you dissappeared. I was worried." The last words came with tears on the girls face.

"Oh,Riley, you don't have to cry. I am fine. I can explain, I promise. Nothing to be weirded out." Riley wiped the tears of her eyes and smiled sadly to her sister.

"I am sorry, but you seemed so lost during his..."

"He's the boy, Riley." Said Penelope interrupting her sister.

"I don't understand. What boy?" Asked a confused Riley.

"The boy. The boy in whom window I snuck in. Concertrate, Riles. I am sure I spoke about him."

"Your golden hero?"

"That's how I used to speak about Lucas? I was a cheesy child." Riley smiled and pulled her sister in an enthusiastic hug.

"I say it's romantic. Now you cand be together forever!" Penelope made some puking sounds and mimicked with her hand for effect.

"You are cheesier than I was when I was six." Riley shook her by her shoulders.

"Maya look at me and tell me this isn't the most romantic thing that happened to you." Penelope made a faux disgusted face and pushed Riley of the bench.

"What's more romantic than pushing a boys arm between his shoulder blades." Said the blonde bating her eyelashes sweetly. Riley started to laugh so strong that her body shook and she could barely breath.

"You did what? Why? Had he done something disrespectful?" She was laughing so hard that she couldn't stand up from the floor . She was lying down and holding her stomach. "If that's your flirting. then you are like the black widow."

Penelope jumped on Riley and started to tickle her to make her laugh even harder.

"He made the mistake to think that I was weak. Just to be clear I was flirting with my old cow riding friend."

"Get off me. You don't want me to pee on you." Struggled Riley under her sister, who made a disgusted face and jumped up as fast as it was possible for her. Riley sat up and started to breath heavily. "I hate it when you do this. You know how ticklish I am." Penelope sat next to her.

"I know, that's why I did it." She put her arm over riley's shoulder and rested her head on it. "You know you would love that "golden hero". He's a lot like you." Riley smiled sheepishly and gazed at the ceiling dreamingly. "He's very cute." Penelope pictured his kind smile in front of her eyes. "Yes ,he is." Riley turned to her abruptly and giggled. "You like him." Maya frowned at her sister telling her with her eyes to let go. "You liked him very much." Continued to brunette unaffected by Penelope's glares. The blonde jumped up and hurried out of her sister's room in silence, without any snarky comeback. She laid on her bad and watched for a while the picture she drew on the ceiling. They all had one thing in common. Golden, she used a lot of golden in all of them. Someone knocked on her door and brought the blonde back from her confused thoughts. Cory, her father enetered the room and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Are you fine, Pen?" Asked the concerned man.

"Yeah, today was like and emotional rollercoaster. I gahered myself together." Cory pushed a strand of hair from her eye.

"That's my brave daughter. Topanga always said that you are like a brave amazon warrior. I think she is right. " Penelope sat up and hugged her dad, who meant the world to her. She rested her chin on his shoulder for a while and absorbed all the safety he gave to her.

"The boy, was him?" Penelope left the comfort of her father's hug and laid back on her back. She started to fidget.

"Yes. My father ... do you think..." She started to breath heavily and her tongue tumbled in her mouth. "You know...Do you think her abused me...like beat me...Oh I don't know." The girl covered her face in fustration . "I had this flashback, memory...the hell knows what was that and." Cory put his hand on her shoulder to make her stop.

"Just rest,Pen. Okay? It was a rough day."

"It wasn't...I am just confused." She said with her hands stil on her face. A headache started to sulk in. She admited to herself that she indeed needed sleep. Cory got up to leave his daugther's room.

"Thank you, Cors."

"I love you,Pen."

 _Knock...Knock...knock-knock-knock-knock..._ Someone was beating constantly on her door. She tried to ignore the sound and drift back to sleep. _Thump._ The door opened wide and hit the wall. Riley jumped again suddenly on her bed and tried to tickle her.

"Riles, stop it, You know I am not ticklish!" Riley smiled deviously and pulled her leg from under the cover.

"No-no-no-no-noooo." Screamed Penelope fighting to get her leg out of her hand.

"This is what I call revenge sis." Her finger barely touched her skin and Penelope started to fill the electricity shaking her body. She laughed hard with tears until she felt like she'll lose the capacity to breath.

"Stop it,Riley." She left her leg suddenly and laid next to her, with a contended smile on her face.

"Will you introduce me to your handsome friend today?" Asked Riley shyly after a long moment of silence.

"I don't know. Will you embarass me?" Said the blonde as she watched the ceiling. She couldn't look at Riley, who was obviously smitten by Lucas. Couldn't blame her, because grew up handsome.

"I'll do my best to." Laughed Riley with pure happiness. "But you still love me."

"Yes, I do, goofball. And yes I'll introduce you. He's new and needs friends. You are the best friend someone can have."

"So are you, Penny." Penelope flinched at the hated nickname and tried her best not to correct her. "Pen,do you have feelings for him?"

"Let's go to school,Riles." Ignored the blonde the question.

"We will, after you answer."

"Let it go ,Riley. There is no way to know the answer yet." Penelope jumped up and walked to her closet to dress up. She really hoped that she'll drop the question.

"What do you mean "no way to know the answer yet"?" Asked Riley and came behind her .

"I don't know him." Continued the blonde to browse through her clothes nonchalantly.

"You know him for years."

"I knew him years ago. Where do you wanna go with this? Do you need my blessing to date him?" She finally faced Riley with and unreadable expression painted on her face.

"No...I... No. Don't know Pen. He's cute and I wanted to know if...Leave it. Sorry. I said this is your extraordinary love story. Maybe I am jealous." Maya's lips curved up in an affectionate smile. Riley could be so naive sometimes that made her want to squeeze her in a hug like a puppy. With her romantic hopes and dreams and her everlasting optimism, she was to pure for the world.

"You don't have to be jealous. You see to much into things."

After school the met with their friends and Lucas at Topanga's. They were all sitting a their usual table when Lucas came in. The waitress looked at him with spite, Penelope noticed that look and needed all her willpower not to crack up.

"Sundance, over here." Yelled the small blonde and waved to him. "Friends this is Lucas, Lucas this are Riley, Farkle and Isadora."

An awkward silence fell over the group and none of them knew how to break it.

"Lucas Friar? How comes that you moved to New York and started the same school as your "friend" went? Coincidence much?" Asked Farkle with an eyebrow raised in Lucas direction.

"What the hell,Farkle?" Jumped up Penelope with anger. She leaned closer to Farkle and grabbed his shirt collar. She locked her eyes with Farkle's telling hi mutely to chill down. He lifted his hands in defense. "I was just curios,Pen, sorry if I sounded obnoxious." Penelope let go of his shirt and pushed him back on his seat.

"May..Pen you don't have to stick up for this."Contrary to his words, Lucas smiled as a memory came into his mind. During the short period of living with him , Maya made a habit of grabbing his shirt and bossing him around.

"Sorry,Lucas. I want this to work. You and our group. I need all of my friends close. Sorry for being sappy by the way." Lucas shifted in his seat and broke his eye-contact with Maya. He felt like an outsiders in the middle of this people who might know Maya, the girl she is now. Penelope. Lucas wanted to get their trust and friendship. Maya deserved an effort. He was who he was because of her. He decided to tell the truth, at least a part of it.

"Me and my mother moved in New York to get a fresh start after her second was messy. Messier than the first" Lucas felt his voice weakening. He remembered the last time he was in the same place as his stepdad.

Penelope felt something falling apart inside of Lucas, she heard the sadness in his voice. The blonde was sure that things weren't simple and that a part of truth was left out. Under the table she found hus hand and gave a little encouraging squeeze. As Lucas felt the gentle touch on his hand, pieces fell in place. He needed Maya, he needed her selfless friendship.

"I am sorry ,that I was rude about this." Said Farkle feelimg horrible about the jealousy he was starting to harbour against the golden haired boy. Farkle was still insecure about the way he looked, even though he glowed up over night. He was tall, thin. He had a handsome sculpted jawline and the warmest color of green. He could easily pass as a handsome young teenager, but he still felt like the middle school Farkle, who dressed up all the time with turtlenecks and wore the nerd hairstyle. Farkle felt threatened by Lucas and by the way that he could change the dynamic of the group.

"No problem, dude. What's your name again?" Asked Lucas holding his hand out for a friendly shake.

"Farkle." Said the boy and squeezed his new friend's hand. "Pleasure to meet you."

Thankful to the short bonding between Lucas and Farkle the awkwardness fell apart. Conversation came naturally to them. It was mostly about Lucas, his life in Texas, his moving and then getting to the point were Riley Matthews planned to go, his short history wit Maya Penelope Matthews. They started to recall memories and then they realized how time alter them. Some things they remembered differently and they started to argue. Smackle explained to them how people alter memories every time they are recalling them. After she went on full teacher the group started to laugh.

When the group broke Penelope told Riley to go home without her, because she has to run to buy some new art supplies, because she felt really inspired and didn't had the colors she needed. Time passed fast as Pen walkeg slowly between shelves in searching for the perfect color. When she left the shop it was already dark. She was could have took the subway, but sometimes she liked to walk to clear her mind and organize her thoughts. She never minded walking and nor the darkness. She was searcching for her headphones as she entered an empty street, when she heard someone not so far stumbling upon a bottle. The blonde looked around and saw a tall man to drew back in the shadows. She tried to ignore him, but for safety she pushed her heaadphones back in her pocket. She started to walk again and heard his footseps behind her. When she looked back again the mind tried to hide. She had to walk to more streets. Everytime she stopped he stoppe, she walked he walked. The thought of running was playing on her mind, but risks were big.

A car passed her and stopped to feets in front of her . Lucas left windows down and met her eyes.

"Hey, Penny." Teased the boy, but then he met her panicked eyes. "What's wrong continued in a more seriouse voice."

"Nothing, I felt like someone was following me. It was probably my mind playing games. Can you take me home? I am kind of tired."

"Sure." Said the boy distracted by the man he saw in the mirrors. He turned around and walked away. Fast.


End file.
